Supreme Court Mandates Maharashtra Elections Deadline Amidst Delays

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court issued a firm directive to the Maharashtra government and the State Election Commission (SEC) to conduct local body elections by January 31, 2026. The judicial panel, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, insisted that delimitation tasks within the state must be finalized by October 10 of the current year.

Previously, the Court had criticized the SEC for not responding swiftly to its May 6 ruling, which mandated election notifications within four weeks and the polls to be conducted in four months. The Court described the latest schedule as a 'one-time concession' for the state, emphasizing that no additional extensions would be entertained.

Despite the defense citing logistical issues—such as a shortage of EVMs—the Court was firm that these should not be excuses for further delays. Petitioners for timely elections highlighted incomplete delimitation processes exacerbated by around board exams and staffing shortages. The Court ordered that all delimitation must conclude by October 31, leaving no room for the exercise to be an election deferral tactic.

The Chief Secretary of Maharashtra has been tasked with ensuring the deployment of necessary staffing to oversee the elections, including returning officers. The State Election Commission must present its staffing needs to the Chief Secretary within two weeks, with the required personnel to be arranged within four weeks. Additionally, the SEC must address the EVM shortage and confirm their availability by filing a compliance affidavit by November 30, 2025.

In May, the Court acknowledged prior election delays attributed to complexities surrounding OBC reservations, which had been a longstanding obstruction to the election timelines. However, with the directives now in place, the Court remains firm on its scheduled deadlines.

(With inputs from agencies.)